Jerrod Shouse, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said today that Oklahoma’s leading small-business association is key-voting SB478, legislation that could help reduce the cost of health insurance by allowing out-of-state insurers to sell plans in Oklahoma. The bill is expected to come up for a vote in the full Senate as early as tomorrow.

“This is a ‘key vote’ for NFIB, meaning we’re informing legislators that we’re monitoring the vote and will report the results to our members,” Shouse said.

“Our members tell us that the ‘cost of health insurance’ is still the most severe problem facing small businesses,” Shouse said. “SB478 would help address that problem by encouraging more competition and broader risk pooling, which should lead to lower rates across the board. On the national level, NFIB is encouraging the administration to issue guidance that would make it easier for insurance companies to cross state lines. Until then, SB478 may make things better for small-business owners, their employees, and their families here in Oklahoma.”

NFIB is Oklahoma’s leading small-business association. To learn more, visit www.NFIB.com/OK and follow @NFIB_OK on Twitter.